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GATE Exam Timings 2026: IIT Guwahati is conducting the GATE 2026 exam on February 7, 8, 14 and 15, 2026. Hence, candidates attempting the exam must be aware of the GATE 2026 exam timings. The GATE 2026 exam timings indicate when the exam starts and ends. The GATE exam time duration is three hours (180 minutes) for 65 questions and a total of 100 marks. Candidates are advised to reach the GATE exam centre 1.5 hours before the exam commences for verification and frisking. Candidates must take their seats 40 minutes before the scheduled start of the GATE 2026 exam. They will be permitted to log in and read the instructions 20 min before the GATE starts. Read below for more details on the timing forthe GATE exam 2026.
Also check: GATE 2026 Exam Day Guidelines and Last-Minute Tips | GATE 2026 Feb 7 Question Paper
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Candidates can check the GATE exam timetable to be followed on the day of the exam so that they are not delayed for the exam. The timings for the GATE exam are as follows.
| Contents | Morning Shift Timing | Afternoon Shift Timing |
|---|---|---|
Reporting Time | 8 AM | 1 PM |
Permit to take allotted seats | 8:50 AM | 1:50 PM |
| Permit to Login Time | 9:10 AM | 2:10 AM |
| Exam Starts | 9:30 AM | 2:30 PM |
Exam Ends | 12:30 PM | 5:30 PM |
The time duration for the GATE exam is three hours that is 180 minutes. Candidates must make sure to report at least 90 mins (1.5 hours) before exam time, so that they can complete the mandatory security checks and biometric verification. Also, they must arrive early so that they can log in for instructions, read for 20 minutes before the 09:30 AM or 02:30 PM start times.
Related- GATE 2026 Dress Code
The GATE exam day instructions allows examinee to carry only a few items inside the exam centre. Check the list of things below.
GATE 2026 admit card
Original valid photo-identification proof (Passport, PAN Card, Voter ID, Aadhar Card etc).
Face Mask
Pen
Pencil
Transparent Water Bottle
Pocket-sized hand sanitiser
Check the following table for the day-wise and the branch-wise GATE 2026 exam timing. The authority is holding 30 papers over 4 days in the month of February. The test is being held in two sessions per day.
| Day/Date | Time (IST) | Test Papers |
|---|---|---|
Saturday, February 07, 2026 | 9:30 am to 12:30 pm (Forenoon Session – FN) | AG, ES, GG, IN, MA, MN, TF, XE, XL |
2:30 pm to 5:30 pm (Afternoon Session – AN) | AE, BT, CH, CY, GE, PH, XH | |
Sunday, February 08, 2026 | 9:30 am to 12:30 pm (Forenoon Session – FN) | CS-1, ST |
2:30 pm to 5:30 pm (Afternoon Session – AN) | CS-2, EY, NM, PE | |
Saturday, February 14, 2026 | 9:30 am to 12:30 pm (Forenoon Session – FN) | CE-1, EE, PI |
2:30 pm to 5:30 pm (Afternoon Session – AN) | BM, CE-2, ME, MT | |
Sunday, February 15, 2026 | 9:30 am to 12:30 pm (Forenoon Session – FN) | EC |
2:30 pm to 5:30 pm (Afternoon Session – AN) | AR, DA |
Here are a few instructions that candidates must keep in mind before entering the GATE exam hall.
Candidates will be allowed to log in 20 minutes before the actual GATE exam 2026 starts, to read the necessary instructions.
They will only be allowed to start answering at the specified times, 9:30 AM and 2;30 PM.
Candidates will not be allowed to log in 30 minutes after the exam has started.
Further, they are not allowed to leave the examination hall until the end of the exam.
Candidates will be given Scribble pads for rough work at the exam centre.
On the scribble pad, candidates must write their name and registration number. GATE 2026 Feb 7 Question Paper
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The GATE exam timing is 9:30 to 12:30 morning shift and 2;30 to 5:30 PM afternoon shift.
The GATE exam duration is three hours (180 minutes).
The GATE 2026 exam dates are February 7, 8, 14 and 15, 2026.
No entry is allowed after the exam start time.
On Question asked by student community
Hello Student,
A two year gap after b tech is not automatically affect your career negatively, especially if you have used this time productively to prepare for GATE. Many students take one or two years to prepare for competition examinations, and employers or University generally understand this provided you can
Yes, you can apply for GATE if you satisfy the eligibility criteria prescribed for the examination. GATE is open to eligible Indian and foreign nationals from approved countries. Since you are currently studying in India, your nationality alone does not automatically make you ineligible. It is advisable to check the
Hello Dear Student,
The GATE cutoff varies widely by subject paper and candidate category (General, OBC, SC/ST). For instance, the general category qualifying mark for Computer Science (CSE) was 27.6 in 2025 and 25.0 in 2024, while Mechanical Engineering (ME) was 35.8 in 2025.
You can get directly find, check,
Hello Student,
The topic wise mark distribution for GATE 2027 has not been officially released. GATE does not prescript fixed marks for each topic. The weightage varies every year independence on the question paper.
Please mention your GATE paper/branch (such as CSE, ECE, EE, ME, CE, DA, etc.), and we
Hello Dear Student,
Yes, you can appear for the GATE Mechanical Engineering (ME) paper even if you have a B.E./B.Tech in Aeronautical Engineering , provided you meet the GATE eligibility criteria.
However, qualifying GATE ME does not automatically make you eligible for PSU jobs .
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